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Mcclelland Christmas Cheer Question

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atskywalker

atskywalker

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 23, 2015
285
2
Canada
Hi,

I found 2 tins of Christmas Cheer at my local tobacconist shop; one from 2012 another from 2014. I've heard these are amazing Virginia smokes so I decided to scoop them. Couple of questions for the veterans here:
- When are these best smoked? (i.e. how many years of aging do these shine at). Would smoking the 2012 now be a wise move or shall I wait and for how long? :).

- What happens to aging if I pop one tin open, take out half, and put the other half in a sealed mason jar? I would love to understand the alchemy of aging as it pertains to opened vs. sealed tins.
Thank you in advance.

 
mikestanley

mikestanley

Lifer
May 10, 2009
1,698
1,126
Akron area of Ohio
Of course either is smokable now. I

would open the 12 and forget about it

for several weeks. Let get dome air.

But, I won't open my

2000 Christmas Cheer for as long as I

can resist. Don't leave the lid off, just pop

the top .

Mike S.

 
troutface

troutface

Lifer
Oct 26, 2012
2,349
11,612
Colorado
When are these best smoked?
Click to expand...

Well that all depends on who you ask. The conventional wisdom is that the longer they age the better they will get. Some folks think they peak after about 20 or 25 years. I just had some of the '92 and thought it was wonderful, but I never had it in '92, or 5 years old, or ten years old, so I have no idea if it was getting better or worse. I have an open tin of '97 and it's great too, but quite different than the '92. My general experience with VA's has taught me that I prefer the flavor of aged over fresh.
What happens to aging if I pop one tin open, take out half, and put the other half in a sealed mason jar?
Click to expand...

Aging will stop when you pop the tin. It will begin again after placing it in a mason jar. Each time you open the jar the aging stops and takes time to get going again, so don't open the jar to "check on it" just for the hell of it. You'll keep disrupting the aging process.
If you've never had Christmas Cheer I would pop the 2012 and try it. It will taste better if you crack the tin, then let it sit around a few weeks with the plastic lid on it. If you really like it you can still find plenty on the market, with older tins commanding a premium.

 
atskywalker

atskywalker

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 23, 2015
285
2
Canada
I guess mike and trout are both saying the same thing about the 2012.
Regarding aging. I heard the comment "aging will stop if you open the tin/jar" but what does it really mean? I know this is not a science but there must be some feel to it....
An example for what I'm trying to get a feel for would be :
Opening a 1 year old tin and smoking a bowl then resealing it for another year. Would that make it a 2 year old mix a 1.5 year old baccy? What does stopping the aging process really means :)?

 
stephenw

stephenw

Might Stick Around
Nov 14, 2014
99
2
WV
From my understanding the best aging takes place once all the oxygen in the jar or tin has been used up by the microbes and the anaerobic microbes take over. Once you pop the tin you introduce oxygen, so all that oxygen must be used up before the anaerobic aging can restart. I am smoking 10 year old 2015 right now that I sealed in mason jars and it is sublime. A much better tobacco than it was back in 2005 when I first purchased it,

 
troutface

troutface

Lifer
Oct 26, 2012
2,349
11,612
Colorado
From my understanding the best aging takes place once all the oxygen in the jar or tin has been used up by the microbes and the anaerobic microbes take over. Once you pop the tin you introduce oxygen, so all that oxygen must be used up before the anaerobic aging can restart
Click to expand...

Exactly. Somewhere on the site there's a good article on aging baccy by Greg Pease. But bottom line is ideally you would not open a tin if you're planning on aging it.

 
atskywalker

atskywalker

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 23, 2015
285
2
Canada
Thanks troutface , I think I found what you're referring to and its saying what you guys said here.
http://www.glpease.com/FAQ.html#AGE
Always a pleasure to learn. I'm new to pipe smoking (about a year) and this is truly a helpful and fun community. I guess it takes a certain type of character to enjoy a pipe and this community shows that brilliantly. I'm very happy to have found this amazing hobby and happier to share it with this great community :).

 
freakiefrog

freakiefrog

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 26, 2012
745
2
Mississippi
I make it a point to buy two or more tins of Christmas Cheer every year. I will not open them for at least two years. This blend is just so perfect to age it's like the text book aging blend. If I were you I'd smoke the 2012 and save the 2014 for a much later time say Christmas break 2016. I have some 2013 that I mistakenly opened and had to jar up just waiting for this coming Christmas.

 
atskywalker

atskywalker

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 23, 2015
285
2
Canada
Here's my plan. If anyone sees any lack of wisdom in it please enlighten me as I'm new to all of this :).
- I'll open the 2012 and smoke a bowl right away to get an initial feel for what it is I bought.

- I'll put the tin plastic cap on it and let it sit for 3 weeks.

- I'll scoop half of it into a jar for consumption (it'll probably take me a few weeks to finish the jar since I have quite a few open and I meander between blends throughout the day - I'm on a sabbatical, so all I do is smoke, read, and write :)).
- The other half will go into the cellar for consumption Xmas 2016 (or should I go further?) if I live to see the day and the world doesn't burn down!
- I'll do the same thing with the 2014 in 2016 consuming 1/2 of it then waiting to 2020 (assuming the conditions regarding the existence of myself and/or the world at large still hold!):-D.
I'll buy a few more tins of it if it strikes a chord with me on a yearly basis. Fun stuff!

 
cosmicfolklore

cosmicfolklore

Lifer
Aug 9, 2013
34,000
75,780
Between the Heart of Alabama and Hot Springs NC
Sounds like a plan. I was going to suggest the same as everyone here. I started with CC by buying one and trying it, and I loved it. I think that it was tinned with aging in mind, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't already taste great. In fact, if a blend doesn't already taste good, I put it in the garbage as opposed to trying to "age it better." I don't have room for that, and there are lots of blends that I think are absolute garbage.
Now, when I buy CC, or anything intended for aging, I will buy at least three. One to try right away and the rest to set back. If I really, really like it, I will get even more.
Aging has such subtle effects that you aren't really gaining nor losing anything by trying a blend right away. What would the difference be in trying a 20 year old tin or a brand new tin, if it is the only experience you have with it? How would you know whether it was made better or even what you've gained unless you have a point of reference. Quality is subjective. If my first experience with a sucky blend that offends my tastebuds is with a 20 year old tin, then I just waited it out that long for nothing good.
Enjoy, but I think that you're going to love this one.

 
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